Box



Aug. 5, 1930.

C. C. MILLER BOX Filed June 28, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS.

C. C. MILLER Aug. 5, 1930.

BOX

Filed June. 28, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CVZ/a rZcis WZZZe';

BY i/ Z ATTORNEYS.

' box as there is no 5 tions. v

In my prior application in the formation of Patented Aug. 5, 1930 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES C1 MILLER, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA BOX Application filed June 28,

This invention relates to boxes and has special reference toa folding paper box wherein the bottom or body portion is folded from a flat unitary blank while the cover or 5 top portion is folded from a second flat unitary blank of like character and of suitable size to fit over the first.

In my prior application, copending herewith, which was led on August 16, 1926 and bears the Serial Number 129,351 I have disclosed a form of folding paper box designed to be packed with the side portions folded inward on the body and end flaps folded over these .side portions for storage in shipment, the box being of such character that upon lifting the box and bending the end walls upward the corner pieces automatically fold in, this being accomplished by initially weakening certain of the fold lines to a greater extent than others. In this box I have found it necessary to make, on each corner piece, a diagonal fold line as is quite common in boxes of this description. I have discovered that if this diagonal fold line is so made as to divide the corner members into equal parts then when the box is folded there is a tendency for the side walls to bulge slightly outward. at the corners. boxes this bulging of the side walls at these points is objectionable as not producing the neat appearance that is obtained with a box built to shape in the factory. 4I have further discovered that the bulging may be overcome by so arranging the angle of the diagonal fold line that the angle between this diagonal fold line and the fold line between the corner and side wall portion of the boxl is slightly less than the angle between the diagonal fold line and the fold line between the corner porconstructed in this manner the box, when folded, presents an appearance at the corner that is practically; that of a factory finished the blank I so weaken the fold lines that the fold line between the corner member and the' end wall portion was 'weaker than the. fold T to line between such corner member and the side In many types of tion-and the end wall of the box. With a box.

ulging of the side wall por- 1928. Serial No. 288,876.

wall portion and I accomplish this by creasing the box longitudinally and transversely with equal creases and also perforating the material at the creased line between each corner piece and end wall portion. In the class of boxes in which the corners are required to present a very neat appearance I have found that perforating the box in this manner tends to produce a roughness at the corners and is objectionable to many users on this account. I have now found that the same effect may be produced by increasing the breaking down of the longitudinal creases at the ends thereof Where they extend between the corner mem-v Ebers and end wall portions and that when a box is made in this manner the tendency to break and become rough at this joint or fold I is obviated. and when taken in connection with the particular arrangement of the diagonal fold line on the corner piece greatly improves the appearance of the box and renders it much more salable.

1 have also found that the perforations which I formerly used in the diagonal fold l lines of the corner members sometimes caused breaking of these corner members at this point when the box was folded and consequent loss of such box. I have now found that this can be overcome by creasin the outer end of the diagonal fold line while perforating the inner end andthat when this is done the creased outer portion will prevent parting of the two portions of the corner member along the diagonal fold line while the perforations of the inner part will efectually weaken this diagonal ffold line so that the blank will fold as readily along this diagonal fold line as it will-fold on the line between' the corner member and end wall portion.

The objects of the present invention are, therefore, to provide an improved corner member construction and a blank for folding boxes embodyin the corner mem ers A"will be provided each with a diagonal fold line and a fold line between s uch corner member and end wall portion of substantially equal strengthr and so arranged that the box, when folded, will present a neat square corner with the parts flush with eachother and perfectly smooth on the this construction wherein e exterior, the diagonal fold line of the corner member being so constructed as to make the member easy to fold on this linewithout.

danger of severing. With the above and other objects in4 view as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically claimed. y

In the aceompanyingdrawings like character's of reference indicate like parts in the l several views,'and:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a box` blank constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of this blank folded forshipping and storing.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view in plan of one corner of the box.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fi re 3.

igure 5 is a section lon line 5 5 of Fig- -d ure 3. l

vFigure 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of lFi re 3.

igure 7 is an enlarged and exaggerated section o .the line 7 7 of Figure 3 showing .theweakening of the fold between the corner member and end wall portion of the box.

vFigure 8 is-a section on each of the lines 8 8 of Figure 3 showing the normal creasing exaggerated Aof the -remaining rectangular fold lines.

Figure 9 is a section on a horizontal plane taken through one corner of the box as set up and disclosing the sq are end flush arl rangement of the parts a such corner.

lIn the present embodiment of the invention there has beenv disclosed one part of a folding box, the top and bottom .being both alike. For the purpose of convenience in l description we will regard this part as the bottom of the box and it will be seen that this box is formed from a blank of foldable materialsuch as millboard, pasteboard or the like'and consists of a rectangular body por-l tion 10 which has, at each side a side wall .portion 11 dened froml the `body portion b a weakened fold line 12 which is preferably .produced by creasing down the material in ongitudinal lines extending throughout the length of the sides of this box portion and defined from the body portion by fold across the ends of end wall portions .13g as at 14. Y Theseend wall portions are simillarly mes ,15 which extend across the ends of the side wall portions as at 16 sothat the extensions 14 and 16 define two sides of quadrangular corner members each having a diagonal fold line wherein the outer portion 17 is formed by breaking down or creasing the material while the inner portion 18 is formed by perfov rations.

It will be noted-that the angle between the diagonal fold line 17, 18 and the fold line 16 length between the edges 20 and 19 is not great. For instance, in a blank wherein the side and end Walls are about two and a half inches high the difference in these lengths is y only about one-sixteenth of an inch but it is important, in fact very important, that this difference exists in order to have the side walls perpendicular to the bottom or body of the blank.

It is further to be noted that the breaking own or'creasing of the portions 14 of the longitudinalfold lines is greater than that accomplished on the portions 12 of these fold :j

lines and also "greater than that acc0mplished at the fold lines-15 and 16 so that this breaking `down effect renders the foldlines 14 weaker than the fold lines 16. Now, under these circumstances when the box is packed for shipment and storage the side wall portions and corner portions are folded'over. on the b dy and end wall portions respectively as disclosed in Figure 2, the end flaps 21 which extend from the end wall portions 12 and are defined by outer fold lines 22 form such end Wall portions, being folded over as also shown in that figure. The usual stripsvor raised portions 23, as shown in my' previous application, are 3::

used to engage and `hold the edges 24 of the end iaps when the box is set up.. Under these conditions when the stored and folded blank is picked` up by the ends and the hands pressed towardi-each other the s ide walls 11 will swing up and outand the end walls 13 be forced in. The corner portions will fold so that during ally of this operation, practically from the start, the portion between each di agonal fold line and the corresponding fold line 14 will lie flat against the respective 'end lwall portion 13 and thus permit easy folding in of the end {ia-ps 21. There has thus been provided a simple and eiiicient device o'f the kind described and for the purpose specified. l

Itis obvious that minor changes may bey made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material .spirit thereof. It' is not, therefore, desired to confine the invention to theexact form herein shown anddescribed, but it is desired to include all such as properly `come within the scope claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is 'claimed as new, is:

l. A fiat, unfolded blank for folding boxes including a rectangular body portion, side wall portions at the sides of the body and defined therefrom by weakened fold lines, end wall portions at the ends of the body and defined therefrom by weakened fold lines, and corner members at the corners between the side and end wall portions and defined from said side and end wall portions by weakened fold lines, said corner members each having a weakened diagonal fold line extending outwardly from the respective corner of the body and in a direction such that the angle between the diagonal fold line and the fold line defininov the corner from the end wall is greater than the angle between said diagonal fold line and the fold line defining the corner from the side wall, each fold line between a respective corner and end wall being imperforate but initially broken down to a greater extent than the fold lines between the corners and side walls to produce more ready flexure between the corners and end walls than between the corners anfl side walls.

2. A fiat, unfolded blank for folding boxes including a rectangular body portion, side wall portions at the side of the body and defined therefrom by weakened fold lines, end wall portions at the ends of the body and defined therefrom by weakened fold lines,

and corner members at the corners betweenl the side and end wall portions and defined from said side and end wall portions by weakened fold lines, said corner members each having a weakened diagonal fold line extending outwardly from the respective cor ner of the body and in a direction such that the angle between the diagonal fold line and the fold line defining the corner from the end wall is greater than the angle between said diagonal fold line and the fold line defining the corner from the side wall, said diagonal fold lines each having its outer portion im perfoate and its inner portion perforated, each fold line between a respective corner and end'wall being imperforate but initially broken down to a greater extent than the fold lines between the corners and side walls to produce more ready exure between the corners and end walls than between the corners and side walls.

3.. A flat, unfolded blank for folding boxes including a rectangular body portion, side wall portions at the sides of the body and "defined therefrom by weakened fold lines` end wall portions at the ends of the body and defined therefrom by weakened fold lines, corner' members at the corners between the side and end wall portions and defined from said side and end wall portions by weakened fold lines, and end aps extending from the free edges of the end wall 'portions and defined therefrom by weakened fold lines and of substantially the same width as the end wall portions to engage the body portion when folded, said corner members each hav ing a weakened diagonal fold line extending outwardly from the respective corner of the body and in a direction such that the angle between the diagonal fold line and the fold line defining the corner from the end wall is greater than the angle between said diagonal fold line and the fold line defining the corner from vthe side wall, each fold line between a respective corner and end wall being imperforate but initially broken down to a greater extent than the fold lines between the corners and side walls to produce more ready flexure between the corners and end walls than between the corners and side walls.

4. A flat, unfolded blank for folding boxes including a rectangular body portion, side wall portions at the sides of the body anddefined therefrom by weakened fold lines, end wall portions at the ends of the body and defined therefrom by weakened fold lines, corner members at the corners between the side and end wall portions and defined from said side and end wall portions by weakened fold lines, and end flaps extending from the free edges of the end wall portions and defined therefrom by weakened fold lines and Aof substantially the same width as the end wall portions to engage the body portion when folded, said corner members each having a weakened diagonal fold line extending outwardly from the respective corner of the body and in a direction such that the angle between the diagonal fold line andthe fold line defining the corner from the end wall is greater than the angle between said diagonal fold line and the fold line defining the corner from the side wall, said diagonal fold lines each having its outer portion imperforate and its inner portion perforated, each fold line between a respective corner and end wall being imperforate but initially broken down to a greater extent than the fold lines between the corners and side walls to, produce more. ready flexure between the corners and end walls than between the corners and side walls.

Y 5. A flat, unfolded blank for folding boxes including a rectangular body portion, side wall portions at the sides of the body and -defined therefrom by weakened fold lines, end wall portions at the ends of the body and defined therefrom by weakened fold lines, corner members atthe corners between the side andY end wall portions and defined from Said side and end wall portions by weakened fold lines, en d flaps extending from the free edges of the end wall portions and defined therefrom by weakened fold lines and of substantially the same width as the end wall portions to engage the body portion when folded, said corner members each having a SLI ' 4 tamme weakened diagonal fold line extending outfv wardly from the respective vcorner .of the body and in a ydirection such that the angle between the diagonal. fold line and the fold line defining the corner from the end wall is greater than the angle between saiddiagonal fold line and the fold vline defining the corner from the side wall, each fold line between a respective corner and end wall being imperforate lbut initially broken down to a i f greater extent than the fold lines between the corners and side walls to produce more ready fiexnre between the corners and end walls than .between the corners and side walls, and retaining strips spaced slightly from the end walls and engageable by the edge flaps when folded.

6. A flat, unfolded blank for folding boxes including a rectangula'n-bo-dy portion, side i wall portions at the sides of the body and .delined therefrom by weakened fold lines, end wall portions at the endsof the body and defined therefrom by weakened foldlines, corner members at the orners between the side and end wall portions and defined from saidside and end wall portions by weakened fold lines, end flaps extending from the free e edges of the end wall portions and defined therefrom by weakened fold lines and of substantially the same width as the end wall or# tions to engage the body portion when olded, said corner members leach having a weakened diagonal fold line extending outwardly from the respective corner of the body and in a direction such that the angle between the diagonal fold line and the fold line defining the corner from the end wall is greater than the angle between sai'd diagonal fold line and the fold line defining the corner from the 40 sidev wall, said diagonal fold lines each having its outer portion imperforate and its inner portion perforated, each fold line between a respective corner and end wall being imperforate but initially broken down to a greater extent 'than the fold lines between the corners and side walls to proi duce more ready flexure between 'the corners and end walls than between the corners and side walls, and retaining strips spaced "o slightly from the end walls and engageable v by the edge flaps when folded. In testimony whereof he aflixes his signa# ture. K

CIEARLES C. MILLER. 

